How does martin luther king balance the twin appeals to religion and patriotism?

The king balances the twin appeal to patritism and religion through the letter by linking them together side by side. When Martin Luther King justifies himself when he is called an extremist, for an instance. His comeback is the line, "Was not Jesus an extremist for love... was not amos an extremist for justice.. and Thomas Jefferson: "We hold these things to be self-evident.